Review - Morning Noon Night

"Morning."

War rarely ends well for anyone involved. Sure, the winner gets all the spoils, but the loss of life tied to that victory is often rather large. Morning Noon Night is a book that really looks at that dynamic and captures the essence of warfare exceptionally well. The issue is written and illustrated by Brent Boates.

War is something that takes its toll on countless individuals. The soldiers fighting on the front lines pay the biggest toll, often sacrificing their lives and safety for their country. Their loved ones back home also pay in a way, wondering if and when their loved ones will ever return home. Morning Noon Night focuses on many different aspects of war and the different audiences it effects and it does so exceedingly well.

The biggest selling point of Morning Noon Night is the fact that the art carries the story, as there's no dialogue at all. The morning story focuses on how quickly war rolls through and devastates those who live there. The afternoon story takes a look at how those soldiers tend to be forgotten by everyone else the soldiers are defending. Finally, night shows the detached atmosphere that war has become, as drones are simply sent towards their targets with little regard for the targets. All three stories really manage to convey the intensity of the perils of war and manage to make a play for the reader's emotions.

Since the book is largely illustrative, Boates escalates the illustrative style with each part of the day. The morning is sepia toned, the afternoon is the same with some splashes of red mixed in and night features more colors for added effect. The progression of the three parts of the day via color palette really hammers home the emotional impact of the story. The relatively simple panel layout really makes the book read very quickly as well, moving the reader through days in the lives of the military.

Morning Noon Night is exceptionally good at underscoring the emotion tied to war. Despite the lack of dialogue and script, Boates proves that illustrations can speak just as greatly, offering up very poignant looks at modern warfare. The "Afternoon" story is particularly impactful, emphasizing the fact that more often than not soldiers aren't really given the full respect the deserve. Pacing the story over the course of a day also showcases a day in the life of the military, with the common theme being that the more things change the more things stay the same. Morning Noon Night is very powerful in its simplicity, offering readers a deep look at the subject of warfare.

Morning Noon Night is available now via Comixology.